New Mexico

Unions demand UNM wage hike despite just getting raises

3 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

The University of New Mexico teacher’s union, “United Academics” of UNM, along with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) New Mexico, are picketing on Wednesday from noon to 1:00 p.m. at the university for higher wages despite just being given a six percent raise bump.

But the raise was not enough for the militant unions, which are now demanding a “living wage” and scoffing at the six percent raise as not “real.”

AFT New Mexico wrote, “Are you fired up about the fight for a living wage? It’s time to make your voice heard! Join @UA_UNM for a Living Wage Rally to show we won’t stand for low wages! Together, let’s show our strength and commitment.”

A signup sheet for the picket claims, “Thousands of UNM employees, including hospital workers, faculty, graduate workers, facilities workers, and staff, struggle to make ends meet every day living on wages that often fall below the federal poverty line. The UNM Regents need to ensure that staff and educators (who are bringing up the next generation of New Mexicans, producing research advancements, and ensuring our university’s day-to-day functions) are paid a dignified wage!” 

In July 2022, UNM raised its minimum hourly wage for staff employees increased to $15. The average salary estimate for a UNM employee is around $21.29 per hour or $44,277 annually, according to data from August 2022.

The university’s guiding principles regarding salaries state that “[q]uantifiable, objective measures are used to evaluate the success of the University’s Compensation program over time.” The program notes some key factors in its pay adjustments include rewarding “individual excellence and promote employee growth and development” and promoting “fair and equitable compensation of its staff employees at all organizational levels.” 

The minimum wage of $15 an hour and competitive salaries for UNM workers aren’t enough to appease the unions, which are now moving the goalposts for a “living wage.” The unions have not said what salary number they are looking for to achieve the so-called living wage. 

According to MIT’s living wage calculator, for a single adult in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one would be making $15.97. The $15 minimum wage plus a six percent increase, as set by UNM, essentially matches this figure. However, it appears the unions want an even higher salary than a “living wage.”

Eco-leftists take out full-page ABQ Journal ad to attack Gov. Lujan Grisham

21 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Sunday, a full-page ad funded by multiple aco-left groups appeared in the state’s largest newspaper, the Albuquerque Journal, and the Santa Fe New Mexican and the Las Cruces Sun-News blasting Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The group angered over the governor’s veto of electric vehicle tax cuts, claimed the Democrat made “empty promises” on “climate change.”

The ad, paid for by the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC), was co-signed by a mirage of different “climate change” groups, including 350NM, the Center for Biological Diversity, ProgressNow New Mexico, the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter, WildEarth Guardians, among others. 

WELC wrote on Twitter, “After stymieing #ClimateAction for two consecutive #NMLeg sessions, we call on @GovMLG & #nmpol to #ActOnClimate,” adding, “The climate movement in New Mexico will not relent.”

ProgressNow New Mexico chimed in, “We hope @GovMLG takes her role on [the U.S. Climate Alliance] seriously and leads with a commitment to #ActOnClimate that she has shown in the past. There’s no time to waste,” referring to the group Lujan Grisham was recently appointed to serve. 

The outcry comes after the far-left Democrat governor signed 2019’s Energy Transition Act, which is the state’s version of the extreme socialist Green New Deal. Apparently, the groups are not happy with these extreme steps to harm the oil, gas, and coal industries, wanting even more New Mexico energy jobs to be stricken by the pen of Gov. Lujan Grisham.

See how deadly New Mexico is for pedestrians

13 Comments / New Mexico, News / By

A new report by Smart Growth America showed some rather interesting results regarding how deadly states are for pedestrians. 

It found that Florida and New Mexico are the two deadliest states for pedestrians in the United States, with the Land of Enchantment being ranked number one, according to data compiled from 2016 to 2020. 

Following New Mexico and Florida was South Carolina, Arizona, Delaware, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Nevada as states most dangerous for pedestrians.

However, Albuquerque ranks as the second-highest metro area across the country, being beaten only by the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida, metro area.

Nationally, “[t]he number of people struck and killed while walking reached yet another new high in 2020. More than 6,500 people were struck and killed while walking in 2020, an average of nearly 18 per day, and a 4.5 percent increase over 2019.”

“This epidemic continues growing worse because our nation’s streets are dangerous by design, designed primarily to move cars quickly at the expense of keeping everyone safe. The result in 2020 was a significant increase in all traffic fatalities, even with less driving overall due to the pandemic,” wrote the organization.

“Dangerous by Design uses federal data that is complete only through the end of 2020, but early estimates from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) are that 7,485 people walking were struck and killed in 2021. This would be the highest number in 40 years and one of the biggest single-year jumps in decades—between 11 and 13 percent in one year.”

Legislation was proposed in New Mexico’s 2023 Legislative Session by state Rep. Art De La Cruz (D-Albuquerque), H.B. 328, to help alleviate the issue. However, the move never made it past the full House despite getting bipartisan approval in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee. 

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Former New Mexico state Senator Dow passes away

6 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Saturday, it was reported that former New Mexico Sen. R. Leo Dow, a Republican, passed away at the age of 96. 

According to his obituary, “Leo was born in 1926 in Chilili, New Mexico and worked hard his entire life. He started building barns and cuartito’s in his teens, and served in the U.S. Army, during WWII. He was very proud of his military service and that people everywhere thanked him for it until the day he passed. After the war ended, he returned home, purchased a truck and hauled wheat, beans, potatoes and vigas throughout the Southwest.”

“Certainly, a steadfast entrepreneur from 1950 to 1990, he was elected to public office by age 40 serving as NM State Senator from 1967-1976 for District 32 (became District 10).”

Dow introduced Pete V. Domenici “to every corner of New Mexico in the early 1970’s. Leo and Pete were good friends from early years of baseball and produce deliveries,” according to the write-up.

After serving two terms in the state Senate, Dow ran as former Congressman Joe Skeen’s lieutenant governor running mate, losing the race by one percent. 

He “proudly knew, met, or shook hands with seven U.S. Presidents, and summed a lot up with a handshake,” the obituary added. 

Celebration of Life services will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023, and are arranged through Gabaldon Mortuary at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (1860 Griegos Rd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107) with a public viewing at 10:00 a.m., Rosary at 10:30 a.m., Mass at 11:00 a.m., and internment at Mt. Calvary Cemetery (1900 Edith Blvd. NE, 87102) at 12:30 p.m.

‘Undoo’ products hit the NM market to counter effects of marijuana

1 Comment / New Mexico, News / By

New reports indicate that the New Mexico distributor of the product “Undoo” is selling the new trio of supplements aimed at counteracting the effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that come from smoking or consuming marijuana.

Assurance Laboratories, which sells the product under its operations and legacy operator Pecos Valley Production, says the product is expected to grow in distribution.

Tim George, the COO of Assurance Laboratories, told the Albuquerque Journal the products “include olive oil, the organic compound olivetol and vitamin E — the latter of which acts as a preservative for the trio of products that come in gel capsule form.” 

The company sells its “relief” product, which is marketed as a “cannabis companion” for when the drug is “too strong,” its “refresh” product, listed as a “daily after-cannabis ritual” for when there is “lingering fogginess,” and a “reset” product called the “high tolerance solution” for “lowering your tolerance to THC.” 

Since marijuana became legal in New Mexico in April 2022, New Mexico has seen over $300 million in sales, with $2.82 million in pot sales alone on this year’s “420” holiday that praises pot consumption.

It is unclear if the Undoo products will affect the sales of marijuana in New Mexico, either to go higher or lower, due to the purported effects of the compounds.

New Mexico’s 4/20 pot sales grew like a weed

Open government group urges CYFD to obey Open Meetings Act

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On Thursday, the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department held a policy advisory council meeting/press conference where it announced that its meetings would be closed to the public.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant – words from the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis that still ring true today – except it seems for a special council formed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to address the dysfunctional Children Youth and Families Department,” wrote the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (NMFOG). 

“The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (FOG) strongly urges the committee to reconsider and adopt a resolution opening all the meetings, and we know from experience it can be done,” the group wrote. 

“As the goal of the CYFD committee is to make recommendations to generally improve the safety and well-being of children in the care of the child protective services system, FOG believes any attempt to engage in a public decision-making process without including the public is a violation of the public’s trust. It is basically a question of accountability and being transparent – something CYFD is sorely lacking,” it continued, noting that The New Mexico Open Meetings Act (OMA) “is dependent upon an informed electorate for the benefit of all New Mexicans.” 

Others criticized the futility of the meeting itself, with Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) writing, “No solutions to stop our vulnerable children from being neglected, raped, abused, tortured, and killed at this CYFD meeting.  They will think about ideas to recruit and retain workers and foster care parents and meet again in a month. ZERO urgency to save these children right now! These kids don’t have time for roundtables and discussions. I presented over a dozen bills to fix things immediately, and [Gov. Lujan Grisham] had them all pushed aside and promoted these talking heads.” 

Although the governor-appointed board claims to be working on solutions, many are asking for more urgency in attempts to reform the broken Department. Gov. Lujan Grisham has refused to call a special session to fix issues with CYFD, despite in previous years calling special sessions for much less pertinent issues, such as legalizing recreational marijuana sales in the state.

See how New Mexicans are reacting to Heinrich announcing 2024 reelection bid

20 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Democrat U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich just announced his reelection campaign for another term, claiming he’s “all in for re-election in 2024. In his campaign video, he touted his work to push for climate change policies and to take away Americans’ Second Amendment rights. 

Here are some of the best reactions to Heinrich’s announcement:

Power The Future’s communications director, Larry Behrens, wrote in response to Heinrich’s announcement, “Since his first day in the Senate, Martin Heinrich continues to be ‘all in’ on whatever Chuck Schumer demands. Martin Heinrich is squarely in the pocket of the environmental left and all he’s helped deliver to our families are record gas prices and massive inflation. New Mexicans deserve a real leader who listens to our state and not another empty suit who does the bidding of his partisan allies in Washington.”

Many were quick to point out that Heinrich lives in Maryland — not New Mexico — as a primary residence. He has been living there for ten years.

“​​But he does not even live in New Mexico. New Mexico stop voting for this,” one person wrote.

Another chimed in, “You ‘work’ for NM? Then why do you and you family live in Maryland full time?? Been living there for years already.” 

“You actually don’t work for New Mexico. You don’t even live here. You work for whatever you’re told to work for by your corporate & party overlords,” one Twitter user wrote. 

Far-left U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico’s Second Congressional District quickly jumped on the bandwagon to endorse Heinrich. However, he remains the only member of New Mexico’s fully Democrat congressional delegation not to endorse Joe Biden for the presidency in 2024.

The National Congressional Campaign Committee’s spokeswoman Delanie Bomar wrote, “Between the porous southern border, surging crime, and skyrocketing inflation, the Biden presidency has been an abject disaster for New Mexicans. Gabe Vasquez has rubber stamped the Biden agenda in Congress, so why is he so afraid to endorse Biden for re-election?”

Other replies noted Heinirch’s far-left actions and votes in office, which turned them off from supporting his reelection. 

“As a lifelong democrat I must say that your recent actions and votes disgust me! I’ll be voting Republican for the first time this year and I know millions of other former democrats who will do the same,” wrote a Twitter user.

Finally, the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of New Mexico wrote, “You’re a clown Marty and you’re not going to win. We have a very special candidate for you. He’s been in office before. Enjoy your short time left.” 

New Mexico ranks at the top of another ‘worst’ list

13 Comments / New Mexico, News / By

A new WalletHub study has ranked New Mexico as the worst state for drug use, beating out every other state with the highest score of 71.26. 

According to the study, “In order to determine which states have the biggest drug problems, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia in three overall categories: 1) Drug Use & Addiction, 2) Law Enforcement and 3) Drug Health Issues & Rehab.” 

“Those categories include a total of 20 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the biggest drug problem.”

West Virginia came in second with a score of 66.67, and the District of Columbia, although not a state, ranked third in the nation with 62.60. 

The state with the least amount of illicit drug use is Hawaii, scoring 22.8. 

Regarding teen drug use, New Mexico ranked second only after Vermont. For teenagers being offered, sold, or given illegal drugs on school property, New Mexico ranked third-highest, only after Nevada and California, which ranked at the top.

The study notes, “Data used to create this ranking were collected from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, U.S. Department of Education – Office of Postsecondary Education, Guttmacher Institute, OHS Health & Safety Services, Recovery.org and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.”

Cycling governing body defends letting biological men compete against women

14 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

After backlash following Austin Killips becoming the first transgender athlete to win an official Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) race at the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico on Sunday, the cycling governing body doubled down on allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports. 

Former Olympian Inga Thompson said the decision to let Killips compete was “effectively killing off women’s cycling.” 

From left: Shayna Powless (DNA Pro Cycling), Austin Killips (Amy D Foundation), Nadia Gontova (Roxo Racing). Via Tour of the Gila: https://tourofthegila.com/2023-tour-of-the-gila-concludes-uci-women-press-release-stage-5/

Former British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies told the Daily Mail, “This is beyond disappointing. Those in charge should hang their heads in shame. The UCI is not fit for purpose.”

Retired Canadian world champion cyclist Alison Sydor tweeted, “The current UCI rules that allow males to compete in female cycling events are not fair to female athletes.” 

‘Time for UCI to admit this current rule situation is unsustainable and leaving a black mark on cycling as a fair sport for females.’

In a statement Tuesday, the group wrote, “The UCI acknowledges that transgender athletes may wish to compete in accordance with their gender identity.”

“The UCI rules are based on the latest scientific knowledge and have been applied in a consistent manner. The UCI continues to follow the evolution of scientific findings and may change its rules in the future as scientific knowledge evolves.”

Last December, Killips faced criticism after he finished third at the USA’s National Cyclocross Championships, where he was also accused of pushing another competitor off course.

Transgender cyclist wins major New Mexico tournament

NM continues to hold record for third-highest poverty rate in U.S.

11 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data, New Mexico has the third-highest poverty rate. The state has held this same abysmal record for three years in a row now.

“The figures were included in the March edition of the New Mexico Labor Market Review published by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. The state’s average of 18.4% in 2021, the latest year for which data were available, was better only than that of Louisiana (19.6%) and Mississippi (19.4%). The national poverty rate was 12.8%, while New Hampshire had the lowest rate in the country at 7.2%,” the Farmington Daily Times reported. 

As for children living in poverty, New Mexico had the third-highest poverty rate (23.9 percent) in the entire country for those younger than 18 years of age. 

“The state was third in 2020 with a poverty rate of 16.8%, third in 2019 with a rate of 18.2%, second in 2018 with a rate of 19.5% and tied for second in 2017 at 19.7%,” the report notes. 

For those 65 years of age and older, New Mexico also tops the nation, with a rate of 12.8 percent being bested only by Louisiana and Mississippi.

McKinley County has the highest poverty rate, at 30.3 percent. The second, third, and fourth-highest poverty rates were those of Luna (27.6%), Chavez (27.6%), and Sierra counties (26.7 percent).

Albuquerque ranked on a national list — this time for something good

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